Toddler Art Party Ideas

Do you want to throw an art party for your toddler but
don't want to deal with the mess of 20 two year olds running amok?

I've compiled a round-up of 10 art activities that would be fun for toddlers
and (mostly)
mess free for parents!

Contact Paper Collages
So simple! Just lay out some contact paper sticky side up and different collage materials to stick.
You can use pieces of tissue paper, foam shapes, glitter and even items from a nature scavenger hunt.
If it's flat and will stick, it will work.

 Contact Paper Nature Collage
The Chocolate Muffin Tree

Contact Paper and Tissue Paper Collage

Dilly-Dali Art

Color Mixing in Plastic Bags

Toddlers will love to squish the paint around and mix up the colors! 

You can even use colored gelatin  or hair gel instead of paint 

and contact paper instead of plastic bags

No Mess Color Mixers

No Time For Flash Cards

No Mess Color Mixing

 (with contact paper)

Dilly-Dali Art

Spin Art

Salad spinner spin art is such a fun activity 

and pretty much mess free thanks to the lid on the salad spinner.

Just squirt the paint in, put on the lid and spin away!

Even if the salad spinner is too difficult to spin,

 toddlers will still enjoy squirting the paint in and seeing the big reveal

If you don't have a salad spinner, don't fret! You can still make spin art!

Salad Spinner Spin Art

a bit of sunshine

Paper Plate Spin Art

Teach Preschool

Painting with Water

Water, paint brushes and a chalkboard is all you need for this activity. 

If you don't have a large chalkboard you can always make one with a sheet of plywood and some spray on chalkboard paint!

You can also fill some of those bottles that have sponge tips with water and use those to "paint" with

Painting with water on the chalkboard

The Artful Parent

Water Painting on Colored Chalk

The Imagination Tree

Painting with Food Coloring

There are a lot of different ways you can do this

You can paint with just the food coloring or mix it together with
milk, frosting, candy melts, evaporated milk, or egg.

You can paint the cookies before or after baking.

If you are scared of a food coloring mess, you can use the markers with edible ink instead.

If you don't want to use cookies try bread!

Cooking up rainbow toast

Teach Preschool

Painted Sugar Cookies

The Chocolate Muffin Tree

 Homemade Play Dough

Play dough is great because it's relatively mess free and the possibilities are endless.

Making your own play dough allows you to make a large batch quite cheaply

and you'll be able to add whichever colors and/or scents you'd like!

Don't forget all the little doodads you can stick into the play dough

What's so great about play dough?

The Imagination Tree

Play Dough "Factory"

Dilly-Dali Art

Bead Threading

Keeping little hands busy is one of the main goals of any party host(ess)

Having a beading station will help with that!

You can use chunky wooden, foam, or plastic beads,

colored pasta and even cut up straws to set out for threading 

(under supervision)

If you are concerned about choking, here are some great alternatives.

How great would it be to have toilet paper tubes set up with foam stickers for decorating

and pool noodle beads in a variety of colors would be very appealing!

Baby Bling!

No Time For Flash Cards

Big Bead Threading

I Can Teach My Child

Pipe Cleaner Sculptures

Creating sculptures with pipe cleaner is a great way to explore the process of sculpting and working in 3D.

You can set up for this activity in a snap!

If you find the tips of the pipe cleaners a bit sharp, just fold the ends over and give them a twist.

Wire Sculptures for Kids 
The Artful Parent

Discovery Box 6: Pipe Cleaners

The Imagination Tree

Body Tracing

I haven't met a toddler yet that doesn't like body tracing.

Set up a tracing station, let kids decorate and then take themselves home as a favor!

Anything can be used to decorate 

(depending on how messy you want to get),

 markers, crayons, paint, and stickers

body tracing

let the children play

Body Tracing

Dilly-Dali Art

Tape Art

My toddler loves sticking tape to things. 

I bet a group of toddlers would have a bunch of fun making tape collages!

Once again, simple materials and set-up.

Tape and paper.

I think any tape will do, but colorful masking tape would be great!

Masking Tape Collages

Share & Remember

Washi Tape Art with Printed Masking Tape

The Artful Parent

There you have it! 10 art activities that are appropriate for toddlers and can be easily set up for a group.

If the thought of a messy party turned you off, I hope these activities will make you reconsider!

Art doesn't always have to equal messy

and, if you haven't tried these ideas with your toddler yet, give them a try!